When the co-founder of Skype spent £1.1million on a luxury home in one of
Hampshire’s most exclusive estates he probably had visions of a relaxed
family life.

But once he scratched the “veneer of quality” Niklas Zennstrom, 46, realised his new Bauhaus-style property was in such a state it had to be demolished and rebuilt.

The discovery led the Swedish entrepreneur, estimated to be worth £600 million, to launch legal action against the previous owners, Deborah Wilks and Helen Moseley, claiming they were unscrupulous property developers who had duped him.

But a High Court judge yesterday ruled in favour of the lesbian couple, who said it was built as their “dream home” and they did not realise it was structurally unsafe.

They sold the three bedroom detached property on the Crowsport estate, overlooking the Hamble river in Hampshire, to the world’s third richest social media millionaire in November 2009.

The women, who have been together for more than 20 years, say they intended to live there, but were forced to sell up because of trouble meeting the mortgage and difficulties with a neighbour.

When he started to carry out minor works Mr Zennstrom realised the “dream home” was falling down around him.

He claimed the couple had built the house - replete with glazed walls, minimalist interiors and spectacular views of the Hamble Marina - with a view to profit and sued for massive damages under the Defective Premises Act 1972.

Today a judge rejected his case. He is still trying to claim around £1million compensation from those responsible for the construction - including its architect, builder and structural engineer.

Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart, sitting in the Technology and Construction Court, described Miss Wilks, a hypnotherapist, and her personal fitness instructor partner as "honest witnesses” who were innocent to the problems.

"I am completely satisfied, taking the evidence as a whole, that when Ms Wilks and Ms Moseley embarked on the rebuilding of No 22 Crowsport they did not have any intention of selling it,” he said.

"The evidence points overwhelmingly, in my view, to the conclusion that they built it as their dream home as they have always contended"

In true Grand Designs style the women bought the property in 2004 for £360,000, demolished the existing house and built their home.

They were forced to sell up five years later when Miss Wilks decided on a career change, leaving them with a profit of £740,000.

Mr Zennstrom's QC, Richard Morgan, told the court he believed he was buying a "new luxury house" - but soon realised it was a “shambles”.

The major defects, which were not spotted by surveyors, had been disguised behind finishes that gave "the veneer of quality", and Mr Zennstrom, compared the defective structure to peeling an onion.

Not only was the house not fit for human habitation, he claimed, but it was also dangerous in some respects and had to be knocked down.

The judge ruled that the women were genuinely ignorant of the ins and outs of construction work and had not operated as commercial property developers.

After the case they described it as a "relentless battle", adding that they had been "physically and mentally drained."